Electrode holder



July 13, 1943. M. A. PELToN ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed Nov. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MO RTON A. PELTON ATTORNEYS July 13, 1943. M. A. PELToN ELECTRODE HOLDER FiledNoV. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MORTON A. PELTON ATTO NEYS Patented July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRODE HOLDER Morton A. Pelton, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 29, 1941, Serial No. 420,985

Claims.

This invention relates to electrode holders for use with arc welding apparatus, and has for its object an improved organization of parts by means of which the electrode pieces themselves may be easily substituted one for another and yet held firmly in position during the desired operative phase, the several substitutions being capable of being made with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partly broken away perspective of the complete device.

Figure 2 is a central sectional elevational view.

Figure 3 is a similar central elevational View thereof taken at right angles to the position of Figure 2, designed particularly to show in detail the possible operative movement of the tapered angle lever and of its actuative connections.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows there shown.

Figure 5 is a similar cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the operating handle being also shown elevationally in connection therewith.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a slightly modified form of link member from that shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

At A is shown a tubular sleeve or holder, preferably of some such non-conducting material as Bakelite, at one end of which is provided a collar or flange B, held in place by the flanged inset 'piece C. Into the opposite end of the tubular holder a current-conducting cable as D is adapted to be introduced, for suitable connection with the base block F, and preferably, for reasons of electrical conductivity, silver-soldered thereto.

Positioned partly within and partly externally of the first-described end of the tubular holder are a pair of electrode-clamping jaws, as G, which at their inner ends are supported in desired relation to the tubular holder A and block F by a pin or stud, as G', in such manner that their outer, electrode-engaging ends are free to limitedly move toward and away from one another. These arms, of some such highly conductive material as copper, are preferably grooved or otherwise roughened at their outer, electrode-engaging ends G2; and they serve jointly and equally as current-carrying elements from the cable anchoring block F to the electrodes.

Extending into or through each of these arms G is a stud or shaft H, upon which is rotatably supported a tapered angle lever member J. Reference to perspective Figure 1 and sectional Figure 4 especially will bring out the fact that this lever is of variant thickness from one edge to the other, that edge which is normally located nearest the tubular holder A being appreciably thinner as shown at J than the remote edge or J2; and the thin edge J is frictionally engaged by a pair of anti-friction members, as K, which are lodged in the opposing faces of the jaw members G in position to facilitate the swing of the lever member, whose function is to press the outer ends of the jaw members apart suficiently to permit the insertion of an electrode between their roughened faces G2, despite the pressure of the spring members L, which normally press the jaw members toward the position shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Pivotally attached to a remote portion of the tapered angle lever J from that which is traversed by the shaft or stud H is one end of a link M, which, for convenience of construction, is shown as in two parallel pieces, one on each side of the cam piece and one adjacent each branch of the trigger N', being pivotally attached thereto by the pin N2. The trigger structure as a whole is rockably supported relatively to the sleeve or holder A by the passage through its inner end of an anchoring shaft or stud P; the outer, manually engageable end of the trigger structure lies at an angle to the lengthwise extent of the sleeve or holder A, but upon the application of manual pressure thereto when the device is to be operated is moved to a position approximating parallelism with the latter.

It will be noted that the bifurcated character of the form of link illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive alfords a spaced two-point bearing for the shaft or stud P, which as well traverses both branches of the trigger N'. A modified form of lever in which not two but four planes of shafttraversed metal are provided is shown at R in Figure 6. The two layers of the metal forming the link are outwardly overbent at their ends R5 so as to, when pierced, afford four bearing points, R', R2, R3, and R2 for the pin N2, with the crosssectional representation of the two branches N of the trigger structure shown flanked by the overbent ends R5.

Since firm seizure of the electrode by the jaws is as important a factor as ease of manual operation of the device as the successive insertion and removal of electrodes takes place, it is obvious that the above-described construction lends itself to both of these objects to an unusual degree. When the trigger or holder N is compressed by the operators hand toward a position of approximate parallelism with the tubular holder A, the link M is drawn strongly lengthwise of the holder structure as a whole, thus swinging the tapered angle lever J about the stud H as a center to a position where its much thicker side J2 wedgingly engages the anti-friction balls K, thus forcing the electrode-holding jaws G apart suificiently to permit the insertion and removal of the electrodes in succession. It will be noted that by this disclosed construction the double or compound leverage afforded by the trigger, the link, and the tapered angle member, makes possible the spreading of the electrode-engaging jaws against the compressive action of the springs L with a minimum of eifort on the part of the operator.

As soon as hand pressure upon the trigger handle N is released, the action of the springs L upon the electrode-holding jaws C- tends to force them together once more, and to allow the tapering surfaces of the tapered angle lever J to ride against the balls K to the retracted position shown in Figures 2 and 5. OfV course if an electrode has been positioned between the roughened engaging surfaces C12 of the jaws, this swinging travel of the tapered angle lever can not progress as far back toward normal position as would otherwise be the case. But, on the other hand, the firm seizure of the inserted electrode is eiected by the inability of the jaws G to respond fully to the pressure of the springs L due to the pressure of the electrode between them.

What I claim is:

1. An electrode holder, comprising, in cornbination with a tubular handle of non-conducting material, said handle being provided with a longitudinally extending access slot in its wall, a pair yof electrode-clamping jaws positioned partly within and partly externally of said tubular handle, means for connecting the handleenclosed ends of said clamping jaws with the adjacently positioned end of a power cable, a transversely-extending stud for structurally associating the clamping jaws with one another and ywith said last previously mentioned cable-connection means in position of limited mobility toward and away from one another, spring means for yieldingly urging the outer, electrode-engaging ends of said clamping jaws toward one another, a rotatable angle lever member supported between the outer portions of said jaw members position for actuated movement in' a plane generally parallel to the planes of said jaw members, antifriction members operatively lodged in the bodies of said jaw members in position of engagement by one or the other of the faces of said angle lever member, an operating link connected at one end with said angle lever member, an angled operating trigger with which the other end of said operating link is connected, one branch of said operating trigger extending through the access slot in the tubular handle, and means for pivotally anchoring that end of said operating trigger which is located within the tubular handle in desired relation thereto, that portion of said operating trigger which is located externally of said tubular handle being adapted to be drawn by manual pressure intor a position approaching parallelism with the lengthwise axis of the tubular handle, thereby transmitting actuative movement to the movable ones of said several recited parts, to effect the electrode-receiving movement of the clamping J'aWs despite the resilient pressure against them of said spring members.

2. In an electrode holder, the combination, with a tubular sleeve of insulating material having -a cut-awa'y portion extending lengthwise thereof, of a manually operable angled lever extending through the kerfed portion of the sleeve, means for anchoring the inner end thereof in position of limited rockability relatively to said sleeve, a link member extending forwardly from its pivotal connection at one end with said angled lever, means positioned within said sleeve for `anchoring therewithn the end of a currentcarrying cable, a pair of electrode-engaging members of highly conductive material positioned partly within and partly externally of said tubular sleeve, pivotal means for attaching the inner ends of said electrode-engaging members to said cable-anchoring means, spring members for yieldingly forcing the outer free ends of said electrode-engaging members toward one another, and a rotatable tapered angle lever rockably supported in position between the outer ends of said electrode-engaging members and operatively connected with the forward end of said link member, whereby as said angled lever member is actuated said electrode-engaging members may be forced apart against the pressure of said spring members to permit the positioning between them of electrodes whose processing is desired.

Y 3. In an electrode holder, in combination with a tubular sleeve of non-conducting material having a selectively positioned aperture in its side wall, means positioned therewithin for the opera- 'tive anchorage of the inserted end of a cable, a

pair of electrode-engaging jaws having their inner ends supported within said tubular sleeve in current-receiving relation to said cable-'anchoring element, means operatively engaging said jaw members for yieldingly forcing them toward one another, a tapered angle lever rockably supported between said jaw members in position to force said jaw members. away from one another against the pressure of said last previously named means, a link member connected with said tapered angle lever, and a manually operable operating triggermember having its inner end pivotally supported within said tubular sleeve member, and with one branch of which trigger vthe adjacent end of said link member is contending within said tubular sleeve member and 'rockablylanchored in relation thereto, means located within said sleeve member for effecting the connected anchorage thereto of an inserted cable end, a pair of electrode-engaging jaws located partly within and partly externally of said tubular sleeve and electrically connected' at their inner ends with saidl cable-anchorage means, spring means supported by said tubular sleeve for yieldingly urging the free outer ends of said jaw members toward one another, a tapered angle lever positioned between the external portions of said jaw members and adapted to force the same away from oneanother againstV the pressure of said spring means, and a link member operatively connecting said operating trigger and said tapered angle lever,y whereby the manually efected swing of said trigger member effects the jaw-spreading movement of said tapered angle lever.

5. In an electrode holder, in combination with a laterally apertured tubular sleeve member of non-conducting material, means located therewithin for eiecting the anchorage of an inserted cable end, a manually operable trigger member pivotally anchored at one end within said sleeve member with its manually engageable handle porl0 relation partly within and partly externally of said sleeve member said jaws being pivotally and electrically connected at their inner ends with said cable anchorage means, spring means for normally urging the free ends of said jaw members into Contact with one another at their outer ends, a tapered angle lever positioned between said jaw members and adapted to force the same away from one another for the insertion of an electrode between them, and a link member operatively connecting said operating trigger member and said tapered angle lever.

MORTON A. PELTON. 

